Nashville Pride encourages our readers to vote for politicians who support the Black Press
In 2010, Dr. John E. Warren, publisher of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint and Florida Tribune papers, wrote an editorial about the importance of politicians advertising in the Black Press.
Warren wrote, “In spite of what we hear about the death of newspapers, the fact remains that talk show hosts and news commentators still look to newspapers daily, and many important news items one hears during morning drive- time on the radio come from newspapers.
“Newspaper editorial pages are the moral compass of a community and the influencers of public policy. Yet many politicians fail to respect the power of the African American vote by ignoring to advertise in the Black Press.
“The Black Vote is important. Whether a political race is determined by one vote or twenty two votes, each vote still counts. Those candidates, who don’t think enough to spend dollars with our newspapers to bring their stories to the black community, do not deserve our votes.
“No longer should candidates be allowed to show up at African American churches, smile at a few people and think they have the vote. No longer can a handful of Black political “yes” men and women give false assurances that they can deliver “our” votes, no matter what state we live in.
“Finally, if people disrespect your Black Press, they disrespect you. Your local African American community newspaper reflects you and what people think of you, whether or not you think of yourself being included with the rest of us.”
Nashville PRIDE is known as The Voice of the Black Community. For over 30 years we have published the news of our community – often times giving a voice to those who are voiceless. Politicians who advertise in the Black Press show that they respect our community and what we think of them. They are also the ones who will think about our community once they are elected officials.
We feel that it is important for politicians to advertise with us, and are featuring the candidates below who have shown that they deserve our vote.
Mayor David Briley
Mayor David Briley (Incumbent)
Running for mayor
davidbriley.com
David Briley is the eighth mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. He was elected Vice Mayor on September 10, 2015, and was sworn in as Mayor on March 6, 2018.
Mayor Briley is a native Nashvillian who graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in 1982 and then moved to Washington, D.C., to attend Georgetown University. Following graduation, he traveled to Latin America, where he worked on a volunteer project, taught English and became fluent in Spanish.
From 1999 to 2007, he served as an At-Large Member of the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County. During that time, he focused on ethics, budget, solid waste and government efficiency issues. He served on the Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, the Charter Revision Committee, the Greenways Commission, the Personnel Committee, the Ad Hoc Committee on Solid Waste and the Water Rate Oversight Committee.
David has also been active in supporting the not for profit community in Nashville. Over the past two decades, he has served as a board member for The Housing Fund, Nashville CARES, Middle Tennessee Council – Boy Scouts of America, Faith Family Medical Clinic, Hands on Nashville, Sister Cities of Nashville, Habitat for Humanity and Beaman Park to Bells Bend Corridor, amongst others. David has also given free legal assistance in the fight against the English Only proposal, to assist workers whose wages were stolen by unscrupulous bosses, and to help community groups fighting inappropriate development in their neighborhood.
David is married to Jodie Bell, who is also a member of the Bar, practicing criminal defense law. They have a son, Sam, who is in high school. David is the grandson of Beverly Briley, the first mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
In just his first year in office, Mayor David Briley has already made a strong start on a multi-year plan to make sure that – as Nashville grows – every Nashvillian shares in our city’s prosperity.
Briley’s Stronger Nashville Plan focuses on 6 issues:
• Demanding a quality education for every child
• Making historic investments in affordable housing
• Leveling the playing field for minority-owned, women-owned, and LGBT-owned businesses
• Improving our infrastructure to make Nashville more livable
• Protecting Nashvillians from crime and gun violence
• Making sure new development is good for Nashvillians
State Rep. John Ray Clemmons
State Representative John Ray Clemmons (Challenger)
Running for mayor
johnrayclemmons.com
State Representative John Ray Clemmons was raised on a farm between Lebanon and Watertown, Tennessee, where he learned the value of hard work and excellent public education. He is a graduate of Lebanon High School, Columbia University, and the University of Memphis College of Law.
For over a decade, Rep. Clemmons has been a civil litigator and mediator with the Nashville firm Clemmons & Clemons, PLLC. As a mediator, he has the opportunity to do what he enjoys most – working with multiple parties to find common ground, solve problems, and resolve difficult issues. He also enjoys providing pro bono legal services to local artists and entrepreneurs through the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, a program of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville.
Before being elected to the Tennessee General Assembly, Rep. Clemmons served as chairman of the board for Nashville RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities), now a
program of the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee where he was able to combine two of his passions – baseball and public service. He also served as the former president of Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Inc., and he sits on the board of directors for Friends of Sevier Park, Inc., a non-profit he co-founded with other neighborhood leaders. He also served on the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners, as an appointee of Mayor Karl Dean, and the Tennessee Civil Service Commission, as an appointee of Gov. Phil Bredesen.
Rep. Clemmons was first elected to serve House District 55 in 2014. As a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, he has been a member of the Health, Government Operations, Business & Utilities, and Agriculture committees, and has become a leading voice on issues such as transportation, affordable housing, mental health, and women’s rights.
He and his wife, Tamara, are the proud parents of John, Finn, and Henry, as well as Wrigley, their dog. In his free time, he plays ice hockey and cheers on his beloved Chicago Cubs and Nashville Predators.
Clemmons is basing his campaign on equity, opportunity, and justice in regards to:
• Improving the quality of life of all Nashvillians based on core values
• Ensuring that Nashville remains an affordable city where working families are able to prosper and thrive
• Accelerating improvement across MNPS by focusing on a key set of goals
• Reducing Nashville’s debt and identifying new sources of revenue to move Nashville into the future
• Building a 21st-century infrastructure system – both above and below ground.
• Empowering residents and ensure they have a voice in how their neighborhood develops.
• Investing in public safety departments and ending all contracts with private prison corporations
• Working with residents and regional stakeholders to develop a long-term transportation plan
Councilman DeCosta Hastings
District 2 Councilman DeCosta Hastings (Incumbent)
Running for District 2 Council Member
Facebook: Re-ElectDeCostaHastings
Born in Nashville, DeCosta grew up in North Nashville’s John Henry Hale community, near Jo Johnston. He and his siblings were raised by Annie Bell Hastings and guided spiritually at Olivet Missionary Baptist Church. Hastings was an original member of the groundbreaking program, Men of Distinction at the Bethlehem Center of Nashville, and he graduated from Pearl Cohn Magnet High School. He attended Nashville State Community College and City College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from American Baptist College and serves as an associate pastor at New Wine Ministries in Nashville. His wife Johnetta Hastings lovingly assists his life and work.
Hastings accomplishments include: sponsoring a bill that provided new additions of affordable housing; preserving residential options with affordable monthly rent; providing educators with better compensation well as establishing summer programs for youth; developing public works systems to provide better roadways and residential communities; and helping to establish the “Jackson Law” to disallow landfills within District 2 and Metro Nashville Davidson County.
Hastings’ Forward and Better plan includes:
• Promoting investment
• Generating excitement for District 2 development
• Opening up the development of Nashville North with a signature bridge that will connect Rosa Parks Boulevard all the way to Briley Parkway
• Improving and landscaping Trinity Lane
• Encouraging and helping the pick-up and clean-up of the entire District 2
Charles Flowers
Charles Flowers
Running for District 5 Council Member
charlesflowersfordistrict5.com
Charles Flowers has lived in District 5 for 13 years. He has served as a public servant in various leadership roles within the community. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a member of the Metro Nashville Education Association, a member of the Tennessee Educational Association, as well as the Vice President Emeritus of the McFerrin Park Neighborhood Association. Flowers received his Bachelor of Science degree at Tennessee State University and has two masters in education that he received at Lipscomb University and Trevecca Nazarene University. Currently, Flowers is a MNPS teacher with Shwab Elementary.
Flowers is running on a platform of equity, transparency, and community:
Strong Neighborhoods
• Increase access to equitable housing options
• Ensure clean streets and alleyways to create safe walkable neighborhoods
• Communicate effectively and efficiently to keep the community informed
Smart Budgeting
• Ensure our Metro Budget reflects the priorities of our District
• Investment in infrastructure, flood mitigation, and system upgrades
• Competitive pay for teachers, city workers, fire fighters and police
• Fully fund public schools, to support school resources and student achievement
Smart Growth
• Create and preserve open spaces within the community
• Increase street crossings for pedestrians and bike lanes
• Support locally owned businesses within the community
• Ensure our city services increase with the growth of our community
